Curtain runner holding device



13, 1968 H. LUCKEY ET AL 3,396,834

CURTAIN RUNNER HOLDING DEVICE Filed May 9. 1966 INVENTORS HERIBERT LUCKE INKEL NN ATTORNEYS United States Patent CURTAIN RUNNER HOLDING DEVICE Heribert Luckey, 61 Kolumbusstrasse, Mulheim-Neis'sen (Ruhr), and Franz Winkelmann, 13 Leuthenstrasse, Mulheim (Ruhr), Germany Filed May 9, 1966, Ser. No. 556,795 Claims priority, application Germany, May 8, 1965,

Claims. ((11. 206-46) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention provides a holding device for runners of hangings such as curtains onto which device the runners may be assembled and from which they can then be transferred onto the guide rail of the hangings. The holding device comprises a member of curved shape in the form of a longitudinally slotted tube having oppositely extending flanges and one end of the holding device being adapted to be so positioned in relation to a guide rail as to permit transfer of runners from the holding device to the guide rail.

The invention relates to a holding device for runners of hangings such as curtains onto which device the runners may be assembled and from which they can then be transferred onto the guide rail of the hangings.

A holding device according to the present invention comprises a member of U-shape, lyre-shape or similar curved shape in the form of a longitudinally slotted tube or in the form of a profiled element having oppositely extending flanges and one end of the holding device being adapted to be so positioned in relation to a guide rail as to permit transfer of runners from the holding device to the guide rail.

Advantageously the said end is extended to provide means for engaging an end portion of the guide rail. For example, the end is formed with tongue-shaped stops for positioning the holding device on the guide rail and facilitating transference of the runners onto the guide rail.

A holding device comprising a member of curved shape in accordance with the invention enables a large number of runners to be accommodated in a small space and therefore a comparatively large width of hanging to be dealt with.

Guide rails for curtains are commonly fitted in recesses or are difiicult of access for some other reason and advantageously the said member is formed of elastic or flexible material so that the member possesses a degree of flexibility favouring presentation of the said end to an end of a guide rail disposed in a recess. In other words the runners may be threaded round a corner.

In order to facilitate threading, holding means, such as hooks, loops or lugs may be provided for holding the device in relation to the guide rail during transfer of the runners from the device to the guide rail, For example, in the case of a Cologne board, holding lugs can be inserted at the places where plugs are normally put in order to stop runners from slipping off the guide rail during normal service.

In one embodiment of the invention suitable locking means are provided for inhibiting accidental movement of runners from the device.

Hangings of modern artificial fibre curtaining material are usually hung when damp and the holding device must be sufliciently strong to sustain the heavy weight. To this end there may be provided at least one strengthening tie between the limbs of the slotted tube or profiled element.

Ready transfer of runners from the device onto a guide rail is rendered possible through the use of elastic or artificial material for the said member and the formation 3,396,834 Patented Aug. 13, 1968 of that member to a particular shape. The most satisfactory shape has proved to be the lyre-shape which en.- closes an ellipse the ratio of the small axis to the large axis of which has a value of 1:1.5 to 123.5. This shape has been found to facilitate the sliding along the member and onto the guide rail of runners of widely differing constructions without jamming or catching.

The part of the member remote from the ends may be extensible, for example, through being highly elastic, so that the device can be enlarged or reduced according to the number of runners to be accommodated. Alternatively a part of the member remote from its ends may be a separate piece replaceable by a piece of different length.

In use, a large number of runners serving as hangers for a curtain already attached to them may be threaded quickly and easily onto a single device by an operator when working seated in comfort at a table, after which the runners carrying the curtain may be rapidly transferred from the device to the curtain guide rail by a short and simple movement.

The device greatly reduces danger of accidents not only to housewives but also to decorators who have frequently to climb high ladders in order to fit hangings.

The period of time during which the arms have to be raised while there is a downward pull by a curtain being fitted is reduced to a minimum by a holding device according to the invention and the usual fatigue which arises from curtain hanging and which has led to this work being done by men no longer occurs or is to a large extent avoided.

Compara-tively wide curtains can be easily accommodated in the small space occupied by a holding device and even large hangings of several metres in width can be fitted one behind another in comfort, since, for example, if a single holding device is incapable of accommodating, say, 400 runners, two or more holding devices adjacent one another can be used. Then when the runners have been pushed or pulled onto the guide rail from the first of the holding devices, the latter can be removed and the next holding device brought into operation to transfer the runners stored in that device from the device to the guide rail.

A holding device according to the invention enables hangings to be hung which are fitted with runners having rollers of the largest to the smallest diameter or are fitted with runners at small distances apart. It is also possible without hindrance toinsert or withdraw in relation to the holding device adjacent runners of different types or having rollers of different cross-sections.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a holding device in the form of a longitudinally slotted lyre-shaped tube;

FIGURE 2 shows an end portion of a device according to FIGURE 1, attached to the guide rail of a Cologne board; and

FIGURE 3 shows another form of holding device comprising a profiled element of artificial material.

In FIGURE 1 the holding device consists of a lyreshaped tube 1, preferably of elastic artificial material, having a longitudinal slot 2 in its outer edge. The curtain runners having guide rollers 3, which are already hooked onto the curtain, are pushed through the left-hand opening 4 of the tube and the hooked parts of the runners slide freely along the slot 2 to the lowermost position. When further runners are pushed in, their weight presses onto the runners in the lowermost position to push the rollers of these runners upwards into the right-hand limb 1 of the tube. By increasing or decreasing the depth of the lyre-shape, the device can be adapted to accommodate a greater or lesser number of rollers.

The end 5 of the right-hand limb 1' is bevelled, in order to facilitate its proper abutment and alignment with the guide rail 6 (see FIGURE 2). A lug 7 provided at this end is notched at 8. In operation, the lug 7 is pushed into and is held in an opening of the guide rail 6, provided for the normal introductionof the guide rollers, the side of the opening engaging the notched part of the lug. Such holding means greatly facilitates the process of inserting the rollers 3 of the runners into the rail 6, as the weight of the runners and the curtain is largely taken by the guide rail itself. After removal of the holding device, the opening of the guide rail is closed by a rotating plug.

The holding device of FIGURE 3 comprises a profiled element of artificial material 9 having flanges 11 and 12 extending oppositely from a central web 10. The flanges 11 and 12 afford surfaces on which the rollers 3 of the runners respectively roll. Here again the rollers 3 of the runners roll towards the lowermost point and pile up in the holding device.

When the runners are to be transferred onto the similarly profiled guide rail, the flanges 11 and 12 which project at one end of the profiled element in a tongue-like manner beyond the web 10, are pushed onto the flanges of the guide rail until the end of the web meets the end of the web of the guide rail. Then the runners with their attached curtain are pushed onto the guide rail so that the runner rollers rest on the upper surface of the flanges of the guide rail.

In order to make the advantageously light construction of the holding device stable and yet allow flexibility and avoid making the Work more onerous owing to appreciably increased weight, ties 13 and 14 are provided.

From the drawing will be understood that by taking hold of the lower part of the holding device and rotating it out of the plane of the drawing, it is possible to twist the device until a portion of it occupies a position vertical to the plane of the drawing, the holding device at the same time retaining its gradual curves so that it remains operable. This measure enables hangings to be hung easily in spite of cramped local conditions.

What we claim is:

1. A holding device for runners of hangings such as curtains on which the runners may be assembled and from which they are transferable to guide rails of hangings, the holding device comprising a member of curved shape in the form of a longitudinally slotted tube having oppositely extending flanges and one end of the holding device being adapted to be so positioned in relation to a guide rail to permit transfer of runners from the holding device to the guide rail.

2. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said end is extended to provide means for engaging an end portion of the guide rail.

3. A holding device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the said member possesses a degree of flexibility favouring presentation of the said end to an end of a guide rail disposed in a recess.

4. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein holding means are provided for holding the device in relation to the guide rail during transfer of the runners from the device to the guide rail.

5. A holding device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the holding means comprises a lug on the device which engages an opening in the guide rail.

6. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein suitable locking means are provided for inhibiting accidental movement of runners from the device.

7. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein extending between the limbs of the slotted tube is at least one strengthening tie.

8. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the member encloses an ellipse having a ratio of smaller to larger axis of 1:15 to 1:35.

9. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a part of the member remote from its ends is extensible.

10. A holding device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a part of the member remote from its ends is a separate piece replaceable by a piece of different length.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,999,879 4/1935 Lee 206-46 2,317,531 4/1943 Hudson et al. 206-46 2,951,249 9/ 1960 Saltz 206- 3,225,922 12/1965 Straight 206-65 WILLIAM T. DIXSON, JR., Primary Examiner. 

